Marsh crushes New Zealand after sloppy fielding display

October first is an early time to be playing cricket in Australia, let alone New Zealand. The cold and windy conditions in Mt Maunganui said much for the ridiculous nature of much of the international calendar in 2025.

That said, there was absolutely nothing cold about Australia’s top order bats on Wednesday evening, as Mitchell Marsh led his side to a six-wicket pummelling of the Black Caps in the first of three games in four days.

After reducing the hosts to 3-6 in the first 10 balls of the game a quick finish beckoned, but the combination of some sloppy fielding and a defiant Tim Robinson century ensured that Marsh and company would have something to chase.

Their response was to monster 20 fours and nine sixes (five of those for Marsh alone) to rattle to victory with 21 balls to spare, humbling bowlers of the Test match class of Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson.

Marsh’s 43-ball 85 was one of the most fluent knocks of his T20 international career, and certainly among his best as captain. He got the chase off to the best possible start in the now familiar company of Travis Head, who hustled to 31 from 18 balls in a stand worth 67 from 33 balls.

“We’ve got a great relationship off the field and hopefully that translates into some partnership batting,” Marsh said of his opening union with Head. “If anything I feel under more pressure to get off to a good start with the power that we have. Really nice to contribute.“

After Head’s dismissal, Marsh got substantial support from Matt Short (29) and Tim David (21 not out), before Marcus Stoinis ended a previously underwhelming game on a good note by swivel-pulling the winning runs.

The Australians will want to be better in the field than they had been in allowing the Black Caps to scramble to 6-181.

Josh Hazlewood (1-23) and Adam Zampa (0-27) were the best of the Australian bowlers as they fought the cold and wind. Four catches went down and Alex Carey missed a stumping in his chance to play as T20 wicketkeeper while Josh Inglis recovers from a leg strain.

It has been a difficult week for Carey, who lost his father Gordon after a long battle with leukemia. The Australians donned black armbands in Gordon’s memory.

While the weather for Wednesday’s game was unfriendly for cricket, it was at least dry. The forecast for games two and three on Friday and Saturday is less promising.

First ball Stoinis whacks a pull shot behind square leg for four and Australia win by six wickets with all of 21 balls to spare.

Robinson made a hundred for New Zealand with the help of four dropped catches and a missed stumping by the Australians, who should have been chasing fewer than 182 after reducing the hosts to 3-6 early on.

But their top order power is something to behold, and the tourists never looked back after Marsh and Head put on 67 in quick time.

Marsh’s 43-ball 85 was one of his best for Australia, harking back to some of his displays at the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE when he was instrumental in helping lift the trophy.

The captains speak at the presentation.

“We’ve got a great relationship off the field and hopefully that translates into some partnership batting,” Marsh says of his opening union with Head. “If anything I feel under more pressure to get off to a good start with the power that we have. Really nice to contribute.”

“We can learn a lot from today, but we’ll need to put it into practice in a couple of days’ time,” says acting New Zealand skipper Bracewell.

First ball Stoinis whacks a pull shot behind square leg for four and Australia win by six wickets with all of 21 balls to spare.

Robinson made a hundred for New Zealand with the help of four dropped catches and a missed stumping by the Australians, who should have been chasing fewer than 182 after reducing the hosts to 3-6 early on.

But their top order power is something to behold, and the tourists never looked back after Marsh and Head put on 67 in quick time.

Marsh’s 43-ball 85 was one of his best for Australia, harking back to some of his displays at the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE when he was instrumental in helping lift the trophy.

Wicket!

A slower ball bouncer from Foulkes leaves Carey in a bit of a tangle and he deflects a catch to slip with the scores level. Bizarre.

No hundred for Marsh then. He tries to clear the off side boundary again, a profitable area this innings, but cannot clear Robinson at deep cover.

The ball before, Marsh had wanted a single, but David refused it, perhaps because he wanted to see Marsh get three figures. It’s not really the Australian approach to deny runs that way.

Alex Carey comes in and gets an accidental boundary to fine leg from a short ball. David ends the over with a much more controlled six, slamming one well up onto the hill.

Shades of Dean Jones as Marsh dances down the wicket to Jamieson and hammers a boundary through cover.

Next ball is mistimed down the ground, but there’s plenty of opportunity now for Marsh to make his hundred. David blocks the last ball of the over and makes no attempt to run, so that would appear to be the play.

Australia need just 60 runs from the final 10 overs.

Short climbs further into that by driving Henry over mid-off with something like impunity.

Marsh follows up with a back foot drive over wide mid-off that challenges description. It’s hit into the strong breeze but still carries easily. Marsh allows himself a bit of a smile at that.

Foulkes tries a full, straight ball and Marsh cracks a straight six.

Next ball is a short, wide slower ball and Marsh cuffs it well over cover for six more. That’s 50 from 23 balls and the Australian hundred up in the ninth over.

When Short gets back on strike, Foulkes is too short and straight and the number three pulls off the front foot for six more - 21 from the over. “That’s just a golf swing,” says a Kiwi commentator.

First ball of Bracewell’s second over disappears for another Marsh six over long off.